Having umpired a four-player game in the first Shiloh outing (see Shiloh and the Attack on Sherman) with the Rebels call off their attack, I was curious to try my hand at the scenario. Mark (Mud Steel and Blood) cheerily obliged. Since Mark commanded the Federal Left in that first game, he opted to take command of the attacking Confederates. Could I duplicate the impressive Federal victory from Game #1? Against Mark, my chances were not good.
As a reminder, the table layout was,
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| Battlefield |
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| Army dispositions |
The battle opens with the Sherman’s Division encamped on the high ground along the banks of Shiloh Creek. The Confederates advance upon his position in strong numbers. The Rebel goal is to destroy Sherman while pushing the Federal Army away from the Tennessee River situated farther to the east.
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| Rebels advance! |
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| Sherman at Shiloh Church. |
For the advancing Confederates, Pond’s Brigade moves forward on the left. Cleburne’s Brigade advances astride the Corinth Road with the remainder of the Confederate Army coming up in support as space permits. The first game witnessed an attack-slowing traffic jam develop. Will we see this again?
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| Cleburne moves up. |
As the Rebels advance, first contact with the enemy is at Rhea Field where the 53 OH is encamped. Having complained of enemy activity to its front all morning, the 53rd takes it on the chin as the Rebels pour out of the underbrush lining Shiloh Creek. In a quick and sharp fight, the 53rd falls back.
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| The isolated 53 OH. |
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| 53rd retires with heavy casualties. |
When Confederate guns open from the high ground opposite, Sherman orders his men back from the ridge. Pond presses forward on the far left with his brigade and begins negotiating the cumbersome crossing of Shiloh Creek. McDowell, on the Federal Right, readies for the attack he expects to fall. To consolidate his split command, Cleburne orders his brigade to Rhea Field to join his two, detached regiments. Anderson moves up along the Corinth Road to take the position in the center.
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| Pond swings out on the left. |
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Anderson moves up in the center
while Cleburne redeploys to the right. |
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Lead elements of Pond’s Brigade
splash across the creek. |
To this early point in the battle, fighting was light with maneuver more the order of the day. That was about to change!
Emerging from Shiloh Creek, the 38 TN attacks! McDowell quickly throws in a second regiment to shore up the defense but its arrival is too late to turn the tide. The Federals are driven back. Having suffered heavy casualties in the fighting the 38 TN cannot withstand a vicious counterattack. The Rebels are destroyed. In response, the bulk of Pond’s Brigade falls upon the Thin Blue Line. McDowell is overwhelmed. One regiment is scattered and a battery is overrun. In minutes, Sherman’s Right is gone!
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| McDowell attacked! |
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| Counterattack! |
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| Counter-counter attack! |
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| McDowell and remnants of his brigade are beaten back. |
With the Federal Right seemingly turned, attention now turns to compromising the other Federal flank while applying pressure up in the center. Cleburne pushes the remainder of his brigade across the creek and into Rhea Field while lead elements push across toward the Hamburg-Purdy Road. Russell’s Brigade arrives on the battlefield and is immediately ordered to support Cleburne on the Confederate Right near Rhea Field. These movements are hampered by the Rebels regularly stopping to loot the enemy camp.
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| Cleburne moves out to the right… |
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| with Russell coming up in support. |
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| Rebels arrayed for an assault upon Hildebrand. |
Having driven back McDowell and turned the Federal Right, Pond pushes on. Despite a friendly fire incident that caused not much harm, Pond wrecks McDowell’s Brigade and McDowell, himself, falls. Pond turns to drive into Buckland’s flank. Pinned by Pond’s flanking maneuver, Anderson storms the high ground to hit Buckland head on. Facing high odds against, Buckland does not stand. His brigade is wrecked as well!
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| McDowell destroyed… |
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| with Buckland collapsing soon afterwards. |
Seeing Sherman’s dire situation, Raith finally orders his brigade forward into Lost Field. The field is aptly named because one of Raith’s regiments and a battery are quickly lost! Cleburne and Russell push on. With Anderson fighting down the length of the ridge, Johnson’s Brigade joins the fight and attacks up the Corinth Road. Attacked by Johnson from the west and by Russell from the south, Hildebrand gives ground from the incredible pressure. In the heavy fighting, Hildebrand’s Brigade is wrecked.
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| Raith makes a stand… |
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| but not for long! |
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| Hildebrand Attacked! |
Sherman, having all three of his brigades now broken, is forced to retire to the north. He has held out as long as practical but this clash tips in favor of the Confederates. Sherman almost held out just long enough too. The game was on Turn 8, the last guaranteed turn of the game. Sherman needed to hold out just a wee bit longer…
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| Sherman forced to retire. |
Victory to the Confederates and Mark!
Very exciting game and a pleasure to get a chance to command troops on the battlefield. I was outplayed by Mark but early on, I thought the Federals had a chance to see victory. Mark’s play was relentless and he never offered me a chance to catch my breath. Sherman was under attack all along the line, always! Poor Sherman never seemed to have enough troops to stem the Rebel tide. Was falling back from the ridge at first opportunity the right move for Sherman? Well, it did negate Rebel artillery advantage and may have saved a few lives early on. As it was, the battle result mirrored the historical action quite closely with Sherman falling back to the north after having suffered heavy casualties. Can Sherman do better? I believe he can and I would enjoy trying again.
Great fun, Mark! Thank you for the tough challenge!
